Hood latch locking device



M. DLUGATCH HOOD LATCH LOCKING DEVICE Oct. 8, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet lFiled Sept. 21, 1955 INVENTOR hiya? flz away 8 V ATTORNEY Oct. 8, 1957M. DLU GAT CH HOOD LATCH LOCKING DEVICE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 21,1955 INVENTOR. HEW/P fiwaxmar gait,

AYTUIQ/YE'Y Oct. 8, 1957 M. DLUGATCH noon LATCH LOCKING DEVICE FiledSept. 21, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 I I. cu

INVENTOR.

nited States Patent 2,809,064 noon LATCH LOCKING DEVICE Meyer Dlugateh,New York, N. Y. Application September 21, 1955,- Serial No. 535,613

3 Claims. (Cl. 292-226) This invention relates to locking devices forautomobile hood latches and proposes certain improvements in the lockingdevice disclosed in my co-pending application, Serial No. 371,029, filedJuly 29, 1953, now Patent No. 2,723,552, dated November 15, 1955.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a locking devicewhich will prevent any motion of the conventional hood latches ofautomobiles, the locking device being controlled from the dashboard.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a lockingdevice for automobile hood latches which will prevent unauthorizedpersons from opening the hood and removing the battery or parts of themotor, and which will prevent the unauthorized persons from stealing theautomobile itself by means of crossed ignition wires.

Other objects of the present invention are to provide a hood latchlocking device bearing the above objects in mind which is of simpleconstruction, inexpensive to manufacture, has a minimum number of parts,is easy to use and efficient in operation.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects andadvantages thereof, reference will be had to the following descriptionand accompanying drawings, and to the appended claims in which thevarious novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the interior of the hood and showing thehood latch locking device incorporated therein.

Fig. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the invention.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 33 of Fig. 2and showing the device in assembled, operative position.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but showing the device in theinoperative position with the hood latch released.

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view taken along the line 5-5 of Fig.4.

Fig. 6 is an exploded perspective view of the invention, shown partlybroken away, and the engine block.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the principal part of the lockingdevice, shown alone.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of another of the parts of the device.

Referring now to the drawings, 10 represents an automobile having a hood11 of the type adapted to be rotated upwardly when it is desired to haveaccess to the motor.

The usual longitudinally extending frame member 12 is secured to the topinner face of hood 11 and serves to support a plate 13 from whichdepends a shaft 14 terminating in a bullet-nosed head 15. The head 15 ispro vided with the usual peripheral groove 16.

A spring 17 sleeves shaft 14 and is suitably secured at its upper end tothe lower surface of plate 13, the lower end of the spring beingconnected to a flanged cup member 18 open at the top and bottom andreceiving the head 15 and shaft 14 freely therethrough.

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A plate 19 is secured at one end to the top of motor block 20 by meansof bolts 21, the plate 19 on the undersurface thereof (Fig. 6) beingprovided with a flanged opening 22 adapted to receive the head 15downwardly therethrough.

A latch 23 is pivotally connected to the upper surface of plate 19 bymeans of a pin 24, the latch 23 having an arcuate cut-out portion 25,adapted to be received within the peripheral groove 16 when the head 15is within opening 22. A spring 26 (see Fig. 6) is connected at one endto a bracket 27 extending downwardly through opening 27* in plate 19 onone longitudinal edge of the latch 23, the spring 26 extending acrossand below the plate 19 and being connected at its other end to a bracket23 secured to the undersurface of the plate 19. Thus, the spring 26 willbias the latch 23 to retain the head 15 in the locked position.

In the practice of my invention, a plate 29 is mounted on top of theplate 19 on the motor block 11, the plate 29 being provided withopenings 3d receiving therethrough the bolts 21 (Fig. 2).

The plate 19 along one longitudinal edge is integrally formed withdepending plate 32 which serves to rotatably mount an L-shaped lever 33by means of a pin 34, the upper portion of one arm of the lever 33tapering to an elongated portion 35 extending upwardly above the plate19 and being surrounded by a guard 36, substantially as illustrated. Onevertical edge of the upright 32 near the top is integrally formed with abracket 37 which secures the upper end of a tension spring 38, the lowerend of the spring 38 being secured to the corner portion 39 of the lever33. Thus, the spring 38 will normally urge tie lever 33 in the directionof the arrow A of Fig. 2. It will also be noted that the portion 35extending upwardly abuts the pointed end 40 of the latch 23. The lever33 is also formed with a horizontal portion 41 adapted to be manuallymoved upwardly by inserting the hand through the spaced grill elements41 at the front of the hood. Thus, pushing the horizontal portion 41upwardly will move the lever 33 against the action of the tension spring38, and in so doing to move the latch 23 out of engagement with thebullet head 15 against the action of the tension spring 26, all in amanner well known to those skilled in the art. 7

The plate 29, forming a part of the invention, extends outwardly beyondthe depending plate 32 (Fig. 1), and is provided with a cut-out 47 whichoverlies the flanged opening 22 and receives therewithin the bullet nose15, as will be obvious. The plate 29 is also provided with an elongatedopening 43 which overlies and receives upwardlytherethrough the upperportion 35 of lever 33.

A U-shaped housing 49 is secured to the upper surface of the plate 29 oneach side of the opening 48 by means of flanges 5t) and suitablewelding, not shown.

A hollow cylindrical shaft 51 is rotatably mounted between the verticalwalls of the housing 49 (Fig. 5), the shaft 51 having an angular bore 52of substantially squareshaped cross section for a purpose which willhereinafter become clear. A semicircular cam plate 53 is integrallyformed on the shaft 51 intermediate the walls of housing 49, the plate.53 along the entire length of its straight edge being provided with acut-out portion 54 aligned vertically with the end 35 of the lever 33.Thus, when the plate 53 is in the horizontal or inoperative position ofFigs. 4 and 5, the upper portion 35 of lever 33 may be rotated freely tothe position of Fig. 4 through cut-out 54. However, when the plate orcam 53 is in the position of Fig. 3, the straight portion thereof willabut the end of the opening 48, limiting its rotational displacement,while the forward edge of the portion 40 of latch 23 will abut theadjacent side of the plate 53. Thus, the latch 23 will be frozen andprevented against movement, even I Patented Oct. 8, 1

3 though the lever 33 were attempted to be rotated. Thus, tampering byunauthorized persons will be effectively prevented.

As a means of controlling the angular position of the plate 53, theshaft 51 extends outwardly beyond the housing 49 and is received withinthe smooth central bore 55 of an externally threaded member 56 (Fig. 7).The member 56 is integrally formed with a hexagonal flanged portion 57which abuts the outer face of housing 49 surrounding shaft 52, theflange 47 being secured against outward displacement by means of abracket suitably secured to the housing 49 and retaining thereby themember 56 against outward displacement. The circular flange 59 of ahollow cylindrical member 61) rests adjacent the outer end of member 56,the outer end of hollow member 66 having suitably secured thereto asecond cylindrical member 61 of lesser diameter than the member 66. Aninternally threaded, cup-shaped member 62 is screwed onto the member 56,the end wall 63 of cup-shaped member 62 having an opening thereinreceiving the hollow cylindrical member 66 therethrough while abuttingthe flange 59, thus retaining member 60 against member 56 (Fig. as willbe obvious.

A coupling or bracket 62 is mounted in dashboard 43 (Fig. 1) andreceives therethrough a flexible shaft 63'. The flexible shaft 63'continues below the hood 11 and terminates in an angular block or plug65 (Pig, 5) which is received within the bore 52 of shaft 51. Thus, asthe shaft 63 is rotated by means of knob 64, plug 65 will be rotated torotate with it the shaft 51 and cam plate 53. A flexible sleeve 66surrounds the shaft 63 intermediate the coupling 62' and the cylindricalportion 61, the outer end of the sleeve 66 being secured to bracket 62by means of the externally knurled coupling 67, in suitable manner,while the other end of the sleeve 66 is similarly secured to thecylindrical portion 61.

The plate 53, it will now be apparent, may be rotated by rotating theknob 64 to. dispose the plate in the inoperative position of Fig. 4.When it is. desired to lock the latch 23 in the position of Fig. 3,after the cut-out portion thereof is in the groove 16, it is onlynecessary to turn the knob 64 to rotate the cam plate 53 into thevertical position of Fig. 3.

Thus, it is only by first rotating the knob 64 to rotate the plate 53 tothe horizontal inoperative position away from latch 23 that the lattercan be released by the handle 41.

Thus, when the knob 64 is turned, the flexible shaft 63' fixedlyconnected thereto will rotate plate 53 out of engagement with theforward edge of the latch 23. This permits the latch 23 to be moved tothe disengaged position by the attendant. When the knob 64 is againrotated to its original position, the plate 53 will again abut theforward edge of the latch 23 to lock the same and prevent unauthorizedpersons from opening the hood 11.

While I have illustrated anddescribed the preferred embodiment of myinvention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to theprecise construction herein disclosed and the right is reserved to allchanges and modifications coming within the scope of the invention asdefined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by United States Letters Patent is:

1. In an automobile hood latch assembly including a pivoted platemounted on the motor block and adapted to be rotated in and out ofengagement with a depending latching head carried by the hood, a devicefor actuating said plate, a rotatable knob mounted on the dashboard andoperable from inside of the automobile, a cam plate pivoted within thehood and adapted to be rotated adjacent the latching head, said camplate being rotatably mounted along a substantially horizontal axis atright angles to the vertical axis of rotation of the latching head andhaving a cut-out portion adapted to receive the upwardly extending endof the hood latch actuating device whereby to permit the hood latch tobe released when said plate is rotated to an inoperative position, andlinkage means interconnecting said pivoted cam plate and said knob, saidlinkage means comprising a flexible shaft fixedly connected at one endto said knob and at the other to said pivoted plate and a flexiblesleeve provided on said flexible shaft and extending from said knob tosaid pivoted plate.

2. In combination with an automobile having a horizontally hinged hoodso as to be upwardly and rearwardly swingable and carrying a springpressed cylindrical latching head with an annular groove therearound, alocking plate rotatably mounted on the motor block and being adaptednormally to engage in said groove for holding the hood against openingmovement, a spring-pressed rockable lever on the motor block and beingadapted to engage said locking plate for releasing the latching head, acamming disc mounted on the motor block for holding said lever againstrocking movement, and control means within said automobile andaccessible to a driver thereof for controlling said camming disc, saidcontrol means including a flexible shaft having one end connected tosaid camming disc and a knob on the other end of said flexible shaft andbeing disposed on the dashboard of the automobile.

3. In combination with an automobile having a horizontally hinged hoodso as to be upwardly and rear- Wardly swingable and carrying aspring-pressed cylindrical latching head with an annular groovetherearound, a locking plate rotatably mounted on the motor block andbeing adapted normally to engage in said groove for holding the hoodagainst opening movement, another plate on the motor hood above saidlocking plate, said secondnamed plate having a slot therein, aspring-pressed rockable lever on the motor block extending through theslot in said second named plate and being adapted to engage said lockingplate for releasing the latching head, a camming disc mounted on themotor block and coacting with the edge wall of said slot for holdingsaid lever against rocking movement, and control means within saidautomobile and accessible to a driver thereof for controlling saidcamming disc, said control means including a flexible shaft having oneend connected to said camming disc and a knob on the other end of saidflexible shaft and being disposed on the dashboard of the automobile.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS108,438 Bishop Oct. 18, 1870 511,379 Walker Dec. 26, 1893 2,136,948Nyhus Nov. 15, 1938 2,145,968 Bozarth Feb. 7, 1939 2,277,231 Ilieif Mar.24, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS 693,341 Great Britain June 24, 1953

